Brother Sinner and the Whale
Studio album by Kelly Joe Phelps
Released	August 21, 2012
Genre	Country blues, folk, Americana, Gospel
Length	51:06
Label	Black Hen
Producer	Kelly Joe Phelps
Kelly Joe Phelps chronology
Magnetic Skyline (2010) Brother Sinner and the Whale (2012)

Brother Sinner and the Whale is an album by American blues singer and guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps, released in 2012. It was recorded in mono with only voice and guitar.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Music critic Thom Jurek praised the release in his Allmusic review, writing "...it's the originals, all rooted in country and blues gospel, that embrace with unflinching honesty a return to Phelps' evangelical roots, but he's older, wiser, repentant. His bottleneck slide playing and fingerpicking finesse are deft and fluid as ever. His writing is tight, full of solid melodies, beautiful couplets, biblical poetry, and lithe passages where lyrics and guitars blur and intertwine seamlessly... No matter your spiritual beliefs, it's difficult to fault Phelps for such a warm, inviting, and brave recording. If conviction and quality are the measure of a songwriter and musician, the songs and performances on Brother Sinner & the Whale are the very measure of both."^[1]

Track listing

All songs written by Kelly Joe Phelps unless otherwise noted.

1. "Talkin' to Jehovah" – 4:36
2. "Goodbye to Sorrow" – 3:28
3. "Hope in the Lord to Provide" – 5:45
4. "Pilgrim's Reach" – 4:29
5. "Spit Me Outta the Whale" – 4:05
6. "Sometimes a Drifter" – 4:52
7. "Hard Time They Never Go Away" – 4:43
8. "I've Been Converted" (Traditional) – 3:09
9. "The Holy Spirit Flood" – 4:58
10. "Down to the Praying Ground" – 4:35
11. "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" – 3:27
12. "Brother Pilgrim" – 2:59

Personnel

• Kelly Joe Phelps - vocals, guitar

Production notes:

• Steve Dawson – producer, engineer, mixing, mastering
• John Rummen – artwork

External links

• A Pilgrim's Year.

References